It’s been almost three and a half years since Zeb has been out of school. And it’s been five years since he decided – with the negative encouragement from some very poor art teachers at the age of five – to believe he wasn’t an artist.
In fact, until last week, there were three truths he held firm to:
- That only women made good artists
- That he was not artistic, nor interested in anything art related
- That at some point in the next few years he would have to outgrow his beloved LEGO collection
He no longer believes any of that.
In fact, several nights ago he declared that he is going to be a sculptor, and that he wanted to go to bed early so he could get started on a new project the next day. The last words he spoke before falling to sleep that night were, “Tomorrow begins my sculpting career.” 
Why the change? Zeb met one person who inspired him to view things differently.
His name is Chris. He’s a sculptor and he, his painter wife and their 4 year old daughter are currently living next to us in their RV.
They’ve had fun building light sabers out of PVC and duct tape, and the kids all love the dragons he made out of melted plastic trash.
But I think what first intrigued Zeb was that Chris loves LEGO so much he travels with his collection! For awhile now Zeb had assumed that growing older meant giving up the fun of childhood; Chris and his creative nature prove you can be a fun-loving kid at any age. 
Over the weekend, Chris held a “funshop” for the kids, showing them how to make their own dragons from wire and modeling clay. Zeb, the once self-critical perfectionist, is IN LOVE with his creations. He excitedly points out how he executed his ideas, what didn’t work and what he wants to try next time. My heart swells just thinking about it all.
This is what I was hoping to find on the road: awesome people who help us open up and expose more of the world and all its options to our son. Two months into this trip and we’re already hearing things from him we no longer thought we would hear, we’re seeing him do things passionately he once swore he couldn’t do and we’re watching him take pride in his work.
A big, huge thank you to Chris and Becky for your inspiration, patience and kindness.
Between his new-found passion for sculpting, the dozen unschooling kids he’s spent every day with, the endless games they play and the beautiful surroundings, he’s already dreading our upcoming departure date. And with all the fun we’ve had with the NuRVers this past week, so are we. 
To see more of what we’ve been up to, check out the Happy Janssen’s daily blog posts.
My name is Tara. I am a mama and a lover, a full-time nomad, a passionate devourer of Life and an Organic Life Coach.
Oh, that must be so heartening to hear your child open his mind to new truths and possibilities! Go, Zeb!
That is so fantastic and amazing that he was able to open himself up to the possibilities. Silas is in a similar place with writing. They spent so much time in school harping on his handwriting and trying to “fix it” that he hated writing for awhile. Now he’s writing for pleasure again and just as I predicted, his handwriting has improved just from age and experience. Gah… I’m still so bitter at the school and their determination to make him hate specific things, whether intentional or not… they did harm.
Fabulous.
How absolutely wonderful. And that dragon out of trash, that is KILLER!
Now this made me tear up. How beautiful! What a great inspiration and role models they are, not only for Zeb, but for all of us. We can still be *us* and do the things we love as we “grow up.”
Now the tears I’m dripping might be leftover from the autism blog I was reading just before this, but how WONDERFUL for Zeb.
That’s awesome. Go Zeb!
Perfect!
I can’t wait to be on the road again. I hope to ‘run’ into you.
Zeb’s dragons are awesome! I love to read your posts about him being reinspired to do things he believed he couldn’t/shouldn’t.
I think our next big purchase will be a set of Legos. I want a big box of plain old blocks (not the sets that they want you to make into the picture on the front). I’m well past Z’s age and I still want to play with Legos.
Sweet!!
Totally awesome.
okay, this just makes me smile from ear to ear. This IS what your journey is all about- breaking down those self made barriers (Zeb;s, yours, your man’s). Removing samskara (the scars, those ruts we fall into over time)
maybe you guys need to go to the Lego Museum?
be well
That is so great!
This was one of the best little stories about your journey so far. 
Tell Zeb I’m a freshman in college and Lego’s are my life. Haha. That plastic dragon is freaking amazing.
I have the CHILLS. Beautiful!
oh yeah – this is the good stuff – awesome news!
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That is cool to see your kids come to life like that. You were so wise to pull him out of school before he was convinced to the point of not trying.
Bad teachers never end. My son was in his freshman year in college as an art major and got an F on a carrot drawing. The teacher told him,” I told you to draw a carrot, not to shade and texture the carrot”.
He dropped out and now three years later is ready to go back. The good part was he was unschooled and knew he was an artist, no matter what the teacher told him, and is selling art and loving it.
Thanks for sharing. Pura Vida!
That’s so wonderful. It’s a struggle for me sometimes to convince students who had really bad English teachers in primary or secondary education that writing or reading doesn’t have to be so bad. So, I understand the struggle … when children put up barriers because they’re afraid or insecure, I think it takes a lot to get them to ease down the barrier a bit.
I’m so jealous of all the amazing things happening down at Christine’s. Those dragons are awesome!
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who got teary eyed at this post. Such inspiration for all of us. And that photo of Chris!! You completely captured his personality/spirit…and that my friend, is a gift. Beautifully written…by a beautiful mama.
What a beautiful post! Chris and Becky rock and their Nora is an absolute hoot. If anyone could inspire children, it would be this lovely family!
I love seeing kids working enthusiastically on creative projects, with so much freedom.
that is really really cool!!
This made my heart swell. SO cool. I think I need you to resend your mailing address. I think Zeb would LOVE paperclay. Maybe when you come see us, we can play with it.
I am so in love with this boy, and with his mama, who I hope is realizing the gift that SHE has in communicating all of this wonderful life she is living. I don’t know where this life is going to lead you, but I know it’s going to be amazing, and I want to encourage you to pursue this dream with all your heart. I love you.
I love this story…sounds so similar to my oldest son, who wrote off doing many types of art early, though only due to his own frustration, despite our encouragement…I managed to keep him interested in more technical drawings at least. (However, we did sustain his acceptance that the love of Legos is ageless!) Luckily, a wonderful art teacher at school has re-ignited the passion in him, and has him doing things he never thought he’d be able to do. Great that you met such a teacher, as well!
I’d like to add that I mean “teacher’ in the most loosely of terms…after all, I’m my kids’ “teacher”, too! Just someone who exposes kids to knew ideas, concepts, facilitates learning in whatever way….it’s great to hear about that happening. Wish I had that regarding art for myself when I was a child, I have to say hands-on art is my weak point by a mile, but I try.
love those dragons z made
This makes me homesick for our rally already
(… and that posted before I finished writing. And, uh, the exclamation after my name isn’t supposed to be there….)
Back to my intended post….I miss seeing sweet Zeb and the kids running and playing barefoot across the park. It really was a special time!
Hope to see you and your family again soon.
Jennifer
I am crying Tara as I read this post.
I feel so happy for (with) you. Wow Awesome said Julianna (about the dragons he made)
Love, Petra
So many blessings!
how wonderful. Well, actually, how terrible that the last few years have been wasted as a result of such negativity from the school. I know exactly how he feels – I was told by teachers and peers that I was rubbish at art at age 8 and have never been near anything creative ever since. In the last year I’ve discovered a passion for mixed media and have been dabbling, and realised, shock horror, I might not be great, but I love it. I’m so glad that Zeb’s met someone to inspire him and managed to shake of the shackles of lack of self belief a lot faster than I did. How wonderful to have your decision to go on the road validated in such an uplifting way.
Love the dragons, and what a happy shift in Zeb–it must be so encouraging to see that happening along your travels.
Does Zeb know of Nathan Sawaya? Another grown up who still plays with Lego.
*smiling from ear to ear*
Great post! I am so super happy for your little artist! And really now…does anyone ever outgrow their lego habit? I haven’t, and neither has my husband. When we hit the road, the legos (ok, SOME of them) will be coming along.
Tara, I am so touched by this post and am both laughing and crying. Laughing because the picture you took of Chris is so awesome, crying because of the overwhelming feeling of joy that we can have this type of effect on anyone. I’ve learned so much from you and your family and this story is a testament to the possibilities of what can happen when we are all willing to be open to each other and when we allow and encourage that in our children. Thank you so much sharing this!!!
Love,
Becky
That is very cool. I’d like to come too:)
Its so neat to find something you are passionate about! Zeb is an amazing sculptor and you are an amazing momma.
Oh, that is so wonderful! What a big change!
this is sooo awesome! I want to be there too with my unschooling family!
Thank you soo much for sharing these inspiring stories.
Hooray for Zeb the sculptor! xo.
That’s wonderful! It is for the same reason I refuse to send Jack to school although everyone is telling him you are 4 now, you should go to school. I encourage him in his art and he is doing well (in my eyes anyway).
I hope that Jack will be as fortunate as Zeb to find such a wonderful mentor in art in the future.
Go Zeb! 
That’s so lovely! It’s great that he’s picking up confidence like this.
It reminds me of Ratatoille (the animated film, not the dish). “Anyone can become a cook.” Doesn’t mean EVERYONE will become a cook, but ANYONE can, no matter what walk of life they come from.
It applies to art as well!
Here’s to broadening our horizons and appreciating the wonders of life. Cheers!
These dinosaurs are great! The melted plastic trash dino is so much fun. So nice to read that Zeb met someone that inspired him. We need all the beautiful art we can get.
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